Nathan is in deep trouble. His dad is remarried, and his new step-siblings invade his space and ruin his cherished belongings. Nathan feels trapped and ignored in his own home. Tired of it all, he quietly plans a bittersweet revenge. But will Nathan’s actions bring the peace he longs for?

Living with my step-siblings was tough. Penny, 16, Peter, 11, and William, 10, didn’t understand boundaries. They always went through my things and even broke my Xbox!

The thing is, Dad married my stepmom two months ago, and nothing’s been nice ever since that happened. We have a three-bedroom house.

Earlier, Dad and I each had our rooms with bathrooms, and the smaller room was Dad’s study.

Now, Penny is living in my room, and I’m stuck sharing the small room with Peter and William. All my books, my telescope, and other stuff are packed in the basement because there’s no space.

One day, I noticed my watch was missing. It wasn’t just any watch — it was my mom’s gift to me before she died of cancer. That watch meant everything to me.

I searched everywhere in our cramped room. I checked under the beds, behind the dresser, and even in the closet. Nothing. My frustration grew, and one day, weeks later, I decided to look in the basement. Maybe, just maybe, the boys had taken it there while playing.

I went down the creaky stairs, the basement dimly lit by a single bulb. My heart pounded as I moved boxes and old toys around. And then, I saw it.

My watch was on the floor, but it wasn’t the same. The glass was cracked, and the hands were frozen. I picked it up, feeling a lump in my throat.

How could they be so careless? This was all I had of Mom.

I clenched the broken watch in my hand and went upstairs to find Penny.

She was in the living room, scrolling through her phone.

“Penny, I need to talk to you,” I said firmly.

She looked up, annoyed. “What’s your problem now, weirdo?”

“Your brothers took my watch. They broke it!” I said, showing her the damage.

A sad boy holding a watch dial | Source: Midjourney

“Well, don’t order them around. They’re MY brothers, so you have no right to tell them what they should be doing, and they’re just kids,” she said casually.

I was stunned. “This watch was from Mom, Penny! That’s all I have left of her!”

A teenage girl engrossed in her phone | Source: Pexels

“So? I don’t care. It’s just a watch, after all,” she said, not even looking up from her phone.

“It’s not just a watch,” I muttered, but she wasn’t listening. I could feel tears coming to my eyes.

I didn’t want her to see me crying, and I walked away, feeling more alone than ever. Sitting on the bed in my small room, I held the broken watch and cried like a small child.

This house didn’t feel like home, and I missed Mom more than ever. All I wanted was a bit of respect, a bit of space. But here, even that seemed too much to ask for.

Before my step-siblings moved in, I got a $100 allowance. Now, Penny got $75, I got $35, and Peter and William each got $30. They didn’t love or respect me, and I was kicked out of my own room. And now this?

I knew I had to talk to Dad and Charlotte about what was happening. This couldn’t go on. That evening, I found them in the living room.